Wuhan City: Carrying Out the “Light Project”

Wuhan City: Carrying Out the “Light Project”

Wuhan City: Carrying Out the “Light Project” Pulling Investment of Five Billion Yuan Each Year
On April 2, in Wuhan (the capital city of Hubei province in China), China Telecom launched the first 3G that Wuhan became the first city for China Telecom to open 3G. As far as the mayor Ruan Chengfa is concerned, 3G’s launch is another important step to push forward the city’s “Light Project.”

“Light Project only for the better life of Wuhan citizens.”

The “Light Project” in Wuhan City began last year, including connecting Fiber to households, strengthening the three networks (the Internet, telecommunications network and broadcasting network) integration, establishing a “wireless city” and so on. The project’s goal is to develop one million fiber optic users. In accordance with this plan, a wireless connection of information will be realized in Wuhan city and its peripheral areas.
Since 2004, Wuhan City has been vigorously promoting Fiber to households, and by the end of 2008, about 110,000 families have entered the “era of optical fiber” in advance, and the scale of “Fiber to the home user” ranks the top of the nation. At present, mainly relying on China Telecom’s fixed telephone network, broadband data networks, fiber access networks, specialized information services platform to constitute a three-dimensional information-based service system, the Wuhan City will comprehensively promote the amalgamation of the three networks.
According to preliminary estimation, the implementation of “Light Project” will pull the annual five billion RMB of social investment. Wuhan Information Industry Bureau data shows that in the next three years Wuhan City will spend seven billion RMB on base stations to form the full coverage of wireless broadband network.
Optoelectronic information industry, as the “traditional industry” in Wuhan, almost all of the optoelectronics and information products have the corresponding manufacturers, of which the output of optical fiber is second to none in the country, and ranks second position in the world. Wuhan Municipal Government’s vision is to provide a new development and concentration for local industry through the “light project”.
Since second half of last year, Wuhan East Lake High-tech Zone, known as the “Optical Valley”, made full use of the opportunity that China issued 3G licenses, contacting with the major telecommunications operator, and set up the first national optical 3G Industry Alliance to jointly tender.
Wuhan City sold more opto-electronics and information products to outside-world than that in local areas in the past, but it is of great significance to increase the local sales in the current economic environment. At present, mainly relying on China Telecom’s fixed telephone network, broadband data networks, fiber access networks, specialized information services platform to constitute a three-dimensional information-based service system, the Wuhan City will comprehensively promote the amalgamation of the three networks. At present, the local enterprises has the biggest market share on a new generation of broadband access equipment , and the growth rate of photoelectron information industry reaches about 30%. Based on the “Optical Valley” industrial clusters, a bigger effect is that “Light Project” will form a magnetic field of industry to attract external enterprises to accelerate the industry breakthrough.
The mayor Ruan Chengfa was fascinated by Hubei Telecom’s IPTV test. He fascinated not only by the content and the whole self-manipulation of the watching method, but also by the new ways that he saw to promote the amalgamation of the three networks. The way taking IPTV as a breakthrough point, basing on the communication network, controlling the content with Radio, Film and Television System, and providing technology access and the business model with the Telecommunications System, is now recognized as a new model which can effectively promote the amalgamation of the three networks. Although Wuhan Telecom cannot earn much profits from the “Light Project”, as mayor, Ruan Chengfa see a new bright spot in the industry.
“Light Project” will not only directly promote the industrial restructuring and upgrading in Wuhan, but also take as an example all over China. During NPC &CPPCC this year, the CPPCC National Committee members, Peng Zhiming, president of Wuhan Conservatory of Music, suggested to take Wuhan as the demonstration bases for the implementation “Light Project”. According to his estimation, if we implement the amalgamation of the three networks in the municipalities, subprovincial cities, and other main cities, it will greatly promote the rapid development of information industry, and will directly promote social investment more than 100 billion Yuan every year. For the opto-electronics information industry in Wuhan, this recommendation behind implies a greater opportunity.